Arm wrestling machines are used to test the strength of the players of the machine as between one another, or as between one or more players and the machine itself. Though a machine is unnecessary for staging an arm wrestling contest, there are numerous advantages in using a machine.
When a machine is not used between two players, such factors as the size of the players' hands and the height of the players' arms and torso become important factors. These factors impair determining pure arm strength as between the players. Other factors such as the strength of a player's grip, strength of a player's wrist, and the ability to apply leverage to a player's body may also improperly influence deferring relative arm strength between players. A properly designed arm wrestling machine may eliminate these problematic intermediate factors which prohibit testing pure strength of the players. In addition, a machine could force the players to use better overall form in the contest and, thus, avoid injury to bones, joints, and muscles. However, many of the current designs do not assist in these problem areas.
Alternatively, when there are more than two players, a properly designed machine is not only advantageous, it is a necessity. As an example, a machine allows four individuals (players) to split up into two teams to compare the strength as between the two teams. Likewise, each team could consist of more than two players if the machines were extended to accommodate just such competition. Furthermore, combinations of unequally allotted teams could face each other to test strength of the overall teams. For example, a team of three players could compete against a team of two players. This type of configuration is well suited for competitions with an unequal number of players on each team.
For example, McCoy et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,468, discloses a Team Arm Wrestling Machine which allows each team to be comprised of one or more players. McCoy discloses a series of levers and handle assemblies joined by shafts and a connecting linkage. Each player participates at a station, and each station for one team faces a station for the other team. The shafts extend between each set of facing stations and are rotatably connected to the levers and handle assemblies at the two facing stations. The handle and lever assemblies allow the player to interact with the machine. The connecting linkage links the shafts together so that the handle and lever assemblies at all of the stations move in unison.
One significant problem with the arm wrestling machine disclosed in McCoy is the configuration and external placement of the connecting linkage. The linkage is directly connected to the arm and lever assemblies and can come into contact with a player during operation. Specifically, a player's arm, hand, finger, or other extremity can come into contact with the connecting linkage as the lever and arm assemblies move back and forth. When the lever and arm assemblies move back and forth, their angle of orientation with respect to the connecting linkage varies. When the orientation angle changes, it is possible, and even likely, that a player's extremity, or other object, will get caught or pinched in between the connection between the lever and arm assemblies, and the connecting linkage. If a player's extremity gets caught, the player is susceptible to severe injury. If an object gets caught, the connecting linkage, and arm and lever assemblies are susceptible to considerable machine damage.
In addition, McCoy configures the arm wrestling machine with an arm stop working in conjunction with the arm and lever assemblies and the connecting linkage. This arm stop prevents the levers and hand assemblies from rotating more than a predetermined angle. Another significant problem with the McCoy arm wrestling machine is that the arm stop requires additional cumbersome and costly elements. These elements further cause the players to be susceptible to injury. This is particularly true when the arm stop fractures or is otherwise not functioning properly. Furthermore, the arm stop configuration is unnecessarily complicated as compared to the present invention.
Another problem of the design disclosed in McCoy is that of improper ergonomics. In McCoy, the lever and hand assembly combination will cause the player to exert a greater amount of pressure on his or her shoulder instead of the muscles of the player's arm. In particular, when a player's forearm is short, the arm support must be raised to accommodate the player. When this is done, the player's elbow moves in unison with the handles instead of staying stationary. Thus, the player must exert more force from his or her shoulder. This movement is unnatural and is contrary to at least one of the initial purposes of using an arm wrestling machine to begin with. Hence, prior to the development of the present invention, at least these problems existed in the art. The present invention solves these and other problems.
Arm wrestling machines are not only used in competition, these types of machines are also used in game rooms and arcades. Typically, an individual will want to test his or her overall strength. Several game room arm wrestling machines have been disclosed which will allow an individual to test his or her strength. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 929,281 to Brodeur, U.S. Pat. No. 948,140 to Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,793 to Norris et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,900 to Sapp all disclose amusement apparatus for simulating arm wrestling and for testing arm strength. All of these disclosures include some means for determining arm strength in a scaled form. Although these configurations may be useful and amusing to the individual using the machine, only one player can participate at a time. In addition, there is no "winner" each time these arm wrestling simulators are used. Only the strength of one player is obtained from using the machine. If any kind of contest is undertaken, these arm wrestling simulators must be used more than once, and the scaled score from each player, representing the strength of that player, must be manually compared to obtain a "winner." Even then, the enthusiasm and excitement in such a game is likely meager as compared to a game or amusement apparatus in which the players are all playing at the same time to "win" the game. In addition, a game that only provides a scaled number value of a player's relative arm strength is also much less likely to provide enthusiasm and excitement as compared to a game which includes more of an element of chance. This is especially true when one player is significantly stronger than his opponent. The present invention solves these and other problems, as well.